Featured Recipe: Maple Sweet Potatoes with Almonds and Raisins
Root Vegetables

1/13/2010

Root Vegetables

Root vegetables may not sound appetizing, but I assure you they are sweet, succulent, and perfect for the cold winter months. Root vegetables are a rich source of nutritious complex carbohydrates, providing a steady source of necessary sugars to the body. Instead of upsetting blood sugar levels like refined sweet foods, they regulate them. Since they absorb, assimilate and supply plants with vital nutrients, roots likewise increase absorption and assimilation in our digestive tracts.

Long roots include carrots, parsnips, burdock and daikon radish. Round roots include turnips, radishes, beets and rutabagas. Long roots like burdock and daikon are excellent blood purifiers and can help improve circulation in the body and increase mental clarity. Round roots are nourishing to the stomach, spleen, pancreas and reproductive organs and can help regulate blood sugar and moods, and alleviate cravings.

If some of these root vegetables sound a bit too foreign to you right now, then start out with one of my favorite sweet Maple Sweet Potatoesvegetables--SWEET potatoes. Check out the recipe below--I made this on thanksgiving and it was DELISH!

Maple Sweet Potatoes with Almonds and Raisins

Serves: 12 at 1/2 cup each
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 2 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces (about 8 cups)
  • 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
  • 2 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • Freshly ground pepper, to taste
  • 1 oz chopped macadamia or pecans
  • 1 oz raisins Cinnamon (to sprinkle on top)

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
  2. Arrange sweet potatoes in an even layer in a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish. Combine maple syrup, butter, lemon juice, salt and pepper in small bowl. Pour the mixture over the sweet potatoes; toss to coat.
  3. Cover and bake the sweet potatoes for 15 minutes. Uncover, stir and cook, stirring every 15 minutes, until tender and starting to brown, 45 to 50 minutes more.
  4. Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day. Just before serving, reheat at 350°F until hot, about 15 minutes.

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Food Focus: Beans

Beans, or legumes, including peas and lentils, are an excellent source of plant-based protein. Beans are found in most traditional cultures as a staple food, offering grounding and strengthening properties that enhance endurance. They offer a highly usable, highly absorbable source of calcium for the body. A very inexpensive source of high nutrition, beans can be rich, delicious and satisfying.

Lack of sexual energy is often due to overtaxed adrenal glands and kidneys. Beans are notorious for strengthening these organs (ever noticed the shape of a bean?) and can help restore vital energy as well as sexual energy.

Beans have a reputation for causing digestive distress, but this is usually because they have been undercooked or improperly prepared. To help reduce gas-forming properties, soak beans overnight prior to cooking, increase cooking time, add spices like bay leaf, oregano or cumin, or add kombu (a sea vegetable) when cooking.

Easy Beans and Greens

Serves: 2-3
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1 can black beans (or pinto, red, kidney—your choice)
  • 1 bunch collard greens (or kale, spinach—your choice)
  • your favorite toppings, such as salsa, avocado or guacamole and sour cream

Instructions:

  1. In a medium saucepan, heat drained beans. Add your favorite seasonings, if desired.
  2. Fill a separate medium saucepan with 1-2 inches of water and bring to a boil.
  3. Wash and chop greens (you can use the stems, too) and add to boiling water.
  4. Cook for 2-3 minutes until greens are bright green and tender. Drain off water.
  5. On a plate, arrange a portion of the greens, top with a portion of the beans and finish with toppings of your choice.

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